Tar Heel - Definition and Overview

Legend has it that the Tar Heel nickname applied to the state and inhabitants of North Carolina--as well as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s athletic teams--dates back to the Civil War. Supposedly, a North Carolina regiment stuck to their line like they had “tar on their heels” during a fierce battle.

In fact, the term “Tar Heel” is a pejorative—much like the term “Georgia cracker”—that dates back to colonial times. North Carolina was the poorest of the 13 original colonies, and the state’s primary exports were naval stores—pitch and tar. “Tar Heel” was thus an insult levied at the state’s residents who were so poor and ignorant that they “walked around barefoot with tar on their heels”.